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View Full Version : Long nose hawkfish won't eat


Martini5788
03/10/2015, 09:49 PM
So I have had this hawkfish for close to 4 weeks, and it is barely eating. I have tried everything. This fish is definitely not the brightest, and has a serious case of ADD. I used to get him to eat brine shrimp, but now he won't even do that. And he is losing weight and I have been unable to catch him to put him into qt to try and see what else he will eat. He just watches the food go by and thinks about it and then gets distracted by another piece and they all end up getting eaten before he even thinks about eating one. I have tried flakes, pellets, mysis, squid, oyster, clam, brine, krill. I'm really out of options at this point. And because I'm having to try and feed him so much and so often, everybody is getting overfed and I'm having to do a lot of water chNges to keep my water parameters acceptable. Please if anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. Because this fish is driving me crazy

gone fishin
03/11/2015, 04:48 AM
I'm sorry to hear that. Mine at first was a slow eater but he eventually got the hang of it while in QT. Now in the DT he comes out of nowhere like a torpedo when the food hits the water. Maybe keep trying some frozen foods.

Jason S
03/11/2015, 08:01 AM
Have you tried live brine?

Martini5788
03/11/2015, 10:32 AM
I haven't yet. My lfs is over an hour away, I guess I could try hatching them. Is that fairly simple?

Jason S
03/11/2015, 11:13 AM
It is simple, but takes time. You have had the fish for 4 weeks, and is already losing weight, so I would not personally wait.

Jason S
03/11/2015, 11:15 AM
I just noticed something you said about the food getting eaten before he gets to it. Have you added any new fish since you added him? Was this when he stopped eating? You may have a timid eater, and too many food aggressive mouths around him which is causing him to not eat.

miroch
03/11/2015, 12:48 PM
Do you have a piece of eggcrate? Could try to section him off on one side with the eggcrate so he has his own area to get food. My hawkfish loves frozen Mysis and brine.

Martini5788
03/11/2015, 01:53 PM
Nope he is the last fish. And he usually stays perched on a rock or power head and the other fish follow me around. I feed him on one side and them on the other, but the water is moving and they just pass him by and he won't chase after them. And then gets distracted by another piece but then it floats away too. I will order some brine eggs tonight. He doesn't get picked on, I have watched for long periods of time. And no one takes the food away from him.

Martini5788
03/11/2015, 03:26 PM
I ordered the vial of eggs from San Francisco Bay company. They will get here on Friday. Any tips of getting a good hatch rate? I figure I will just mix up a new batch of saltwater and throw a small amount in with an air stone in a bucket or mason jar